A few days ago, when I mentioned that you cannot trust the competency of the current crop of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), I was called names. But wait a minute, this incompetence and survival based on some quarters’ failure to reason is so scary for Malawi and its future.

The case in point is the continued accusation of the State President for his appointment of Mr. Rodney Jose who has for some time been the Deputy Inspector General (Operations) in the Malawi Police Service. It appears hell broke loose when this appointment was made. I am very surprised at how it has taken so long for these senseless CSOs to realize that Jose was highly linked with the murder of Robert Chasowa in 2011. Why CSOs allowed Mr. Jose to thrive all along in the Police Service against this background raises so many questions than answers.

At what point exactly does one indeed become guilty not to hold public office? Should we conclude that CSOs have been sleeping all along or typical of their usual tantrums, they have chosen to victimize a public officer who has diligently served the Malawi police service including under their beloved Joyce Banda, who had all the freedom and right to fire Jose from the system? How can they overlook this anomaly for more than seven years and you expect them to offer constructive checks and balances to pressing and complex issues affecting our country?

My conclusion is that let this noise come from elsewhere and not people who have no capacity to provide wise counsel to this nation. I see nothing wrong with Jose’s appointment, being an elevation from the second highest post within the Malawi Police Service. Has he become worse than on his previous role?

Mayaya: One of the vocal activists

Beyond this, I also want them to go further and unearth the ugly side of the issue? Why Chasowa among hundreds of students in Malawi then was allegedly killed? Why someone chooses to be involved in dirty politics and not focus on his studies raises so many questions. This is another ugly and painful side of the story that nobody wants to publicly discuss. I am afraid that we might end up victimizing Jose when in fact he might have never played any role in the death of Chasowa. I only urge the so called CSOs to pursue this matter than make more noise which if anything might just eliminate symptoms of our ailing politics. If they have no stories then let them leave judgement to God.

As we think of how the nation can avoid similar issues in the future, it is only timely for CSOs if they indeed care enough, to engage the youth with proper messages on how they can play their role in active politics and not through greed as it appeared to be in this Chasowa case.